Welded cross brace



April 23, 1929. K. GARDNER WELDED CROSS BRACE Filed Dec. 1927 Y i6? M r0 24 ATTORNEY6.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNETH c. GARDNER, or GREE VILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIe oR 170 THE GREEN-VILLE srnnn CAR COMPAHY, or GREENV LLE, PE NSYLV NIA, A conronA'rIo OFPENNSYLVANIA.

WELDED cnoss BnAen.

i Application filed December a, 1927. Serial No. 238,529.

This invention as 'ind-icated'relates to a cross-brace for railway carbodies and the like. More particularly it comprises a crossbrace havinga central portion formedof elongated metal plates folded along a centralmedian line so as to provide a rounded upper edge and side portionsapproaching each other and having said meeting edges united to eachother, preferably by means of electric welding. The invention alsocontemplates the supporting of said central member on end plates ofsuitable gauge by welding the same to said end plates to provide asubstantially integral structure. It also has in view the modificationof the lower edge of the folded central structure so as to provide foran increase of the amount of metal along said lower edge whereby. thecentral portion of the structure will be rein.-

forced so as to withstand stresses applied at points removed from thesupported ends of said structural member, forming in effect a truss atsuch point. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully describedand particularlyp'ointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description setforth in detailcertain structure embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but several of various structural forms in whichthe principle of the invention may be used.

.In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective viewv showing one end portion of the cross-braceembodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view similar toFig. 1 showing a modified form of construction; and Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the central member showing a modified form of weldedlower edge.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the preferred form ofdevice comprises a central member 1 preferably formed of an elongatedmetal plate folded along a central median line so as to provide arounded upper edge 2 preferably of substantially semi-circularcross-section and having side portions 3 inclined toward each other andunited at their lower edges by means of a welding operation whichprovides a seam of additional metal don the under side of said centralmember. The side portions may be substantially flat and at an angle toeach other affording maximum strength for a minimum weight of material.The central member is provided at each end with a supporting plate 5 atright angles thereto, being integrally united to said plates preferablyby are weld-' ing whereby the ends of the central member and plateswillbe held united over an area 6 at the meeting point of said endplates and central member providing afillet. and in turethe centralmember 11 is formed from a strip of metal'having thickened edges 12 atits'margins along its lower central portion, but which may extend thefull length of the central member, if desired. The stock used to formsaid member may comprise a standard channel member which is bentdownwardly with the'cflange portionsfolded outwardly so as to provide anouter surface presenting substantially flat sides 13 approaching eachother from the folded upper portion 141 of said central member whichprovides an upper edge of substantially semicircular outline. Thethickened lower edge of the central member, as stated, may be ex tendedthroughout the length of the same but preferably is cut away adjacenteach end to provide-an endportion 15 of said central member ofsubstantially the cross section of the central member 1 shown in Fig. 1.The meeting edges of the central member may be Weldedthroughout theirlength or the end portions 15 of said central member alone may be weldedand the central portion of the brace be free of such weld, thereinforced lower edge of the same being relied upon to providesuflicient rigidity to said member, owing to the distribution andgreater amount of metal at such point. The

brace having a central member of the form lllustrated in Fig. 2 may beunited to the end plates at its respective ends 1n a manner 'similartothat of the form shown in, Fig. 1,

the flat end plate 16 being joined to the end of the brace member bya'welding operation, preferably arc welding, which provides a somewhatincreased amount of metal at the meeting point 17 of said members;

. Thus the central member 2i shown in Fig 3 is formed of a metal platefolded in the manner of the structures shownin Figs. 1 and 2 to providea rounded upper edge 22 and substantially flat sides 23 approaching eachother and the lower edges of which are united at spaced intervals bymeans of welds 24. The central member is united at its respective endsto the end plates in a manner similar to the other two membersheretofore described by means of a welding operation, preferably arcwelding.

It will be noted that the widened upper portion and the inclined lowersides of the cross-brace serve to space hooks and loading equipment fromthe lower edge of the brace in such a manner that but slight possibilityof interference with the loading equipment occurs. H I

v Other modes of, applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of theone explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such statedmeans be employed,

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

lrAn article of the character having in combination: a central bracemember comprising a metalsheet folded along a central median line, andhaving its lower described;

edges integrally united, and end plates integrally connected with eachend thereof.

2. An article of the character described having in combination a centralbrace mem-' ber comprisn'ig a' metal sheet folded along-a.

central median line, and having its lower edges integrally united overaportion of their length, and'end plates integrally connected with eachend thereof.

3. An article of the character described largement adjacent its loweredges, and

means integrally uniting said lower edges over a portion of theirlength, and end plates integrally connected to the respective ends ofsaid central member. a 5. An article of thecharacter described having incombination a central bracemember comprising a metal sheet folded alonga central median line, and having an enlargement centrally of its loweredges, and means integrally uniting s'aid lower edges over a portion oftheir length, and end plates integrally connected to the respective endsof Se-1a ;:e m w m1membe i I V A V Signed by me this 5th day ofDecember, 1927. I

KENNETH Cl GARDNER.

